


Quiet Love

by the-intelligent-blonde (fallen_angel_ashes7)



Series: RivarminFests Works [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff, I am so late to the party it’s not even funny, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 14:41:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15665262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallen_angel_ashes7/pseuds/the-intelligent-blonde
Summary: Armin gets the pep talk that he’s always needed.





	Quiet Love

**Author's Note:**

> Beta’ed by my lovely best friend, the-redhead-who-writes.
> 
> Prompt from RivarminFest ages ago (2013? 2014?) for Quiet.
> 
> Because Rivarmin needs more love.
> 
> “Theirs is a love that goes unnoticed.” - Me 2Kgayteen.

Everything was always quiet at night. When everyone else went to sleep and the world was silent for a few simple hours.

Ever since Erwin Smith’s death, Armin had been having trouble sleeping. Every idea, every thought, every plan. Nothing was good enough. It wasn’t strategically sound. He couldn’t focus. He was exhausted from running himself in circles. Only one person seemed to understand his troubles.

“Still awake at this hour, brat?” That strong, quiet voice called out into the dim candlelight of his room and Armin let out a tired chuckle.

“Of course. Aren’t I always?” He turned to give Levi a mischievous smirk but his lips wouldn’t curl quite right in his exhausted state.

“You’re going to wear yourself out before you even turn thirty.” Came the snarky reply but with less bite than usual and it warmed Armin’s heart to know that Levi cared. “C’mon now. To bed with you.”

Armin heaved a sigh and got up as he was told, slowly stripping out of his uniform as he walked the few feet from his desk to his bed. He didn’t feel right taking an office for himself so he did all of his work in his own quarters. Levi locked the door behind himself and followed suit with stripping, picking up Armin’s clothes from the floor as the younger flopped onto the bed.

“How did he do it, Levi? How was he so brilliant with the strategies? Why can’t I replicate his work?” The doubts nagging at Armin’s mind spilled past his lips while tears spilled down his cheeks.

“Well he didn’t deprive himself of sleep, for starters.” Levi murmured as he walked over and wiped Armin’s tears with his thumbs. He nudged Armin further back onto the bed and the blond went willingly, allowing room for Levi to lay behind him and curl him up in his strong arms.

“Erwin was playing a whole different game than we are now, Armin.” Levi’s voice was soothing in his ear, a warm hand stroking tenderly through his hair. “You are brilliant in your own way and I know you will come up with a way to get us out of this mess. You always do. You need to think out of the box and out of Erwin’s shadow. You are not him but you don’t need to try to be him either. Be you. I love _you_.”

It was the most words Armin had heard Levi string together in a long while and he sighed softly in relief, tension flowing out of him.

“Thanks, Levi. I love you too.” He whispered just before sleep pulled the blond boy under. 

* * *

 The next morning, when Levi woke, the spot beside him was cold. Groaning, he rolled over to see Armin sitting hunched over his desk with a new fiery determination shimmering in his blue eyes.

Yes, the nights were quiet, but when lovers speak in hushed tones of promises for the future, the dawn looks a little less bleak.


End file.
